CSCC

The newly established Community Safety and Communications Center (CSCC), formerly operated by the Seattle Police Department is the primary Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for emergency 9-1-1 calls placed within the City of Seattle.  Calls requiring a fire or medical response are conferenced with the Seattle Fire Alarm Center.   The center handles approximately 900,000 calls per year and is staffed by CSCC employees 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.  

In May of 2021, the Seattle City Council voted 7-0 to move 911 dispatch out of the Seattle Police Department. On June 1, 2021, 911 calls became the responsibility of the CSCC.

Call Processing

When you call 9-1-1 a CSCC Communications Dispatcher, also known as a call taker, evaluates your call and determines what type of response is required.  They enter your call information into the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system which routes your call to the appropriate sector for deployment.  Calls requiring a fire or medical response are conferenced with the Seattle Fire Alarm Center for deployment and pre-arrival medical instructions.  

Dispatch

Another CSCC Communications Dispatcher, also known as a radio dispatcher, communicates to first responders in the field.  When a call is entered into the CAD system the radio dispatcher is immediately notified of the incoming call and dispatches available resources.   The radio dispatcher maintains contact with units in the field and coordinates the response of specialty units such as K.9., S.W.A.T, mutual-aid air support, and detectives.

The CSCC Mission

The mission of the CSCC is to quickly and professionally answer all requests for service for the City of Seattle; to provide professional dispatch, notification, and communication services for the City of Seattle; and to facilitate reporting of minor incidents via telephone and online systems.  

The priorities of the CSCC are:  

1. Emergencies - Our primary focus is to quickly answer emergency requests for service regardless of how they are received, properly screen those requests, route them to the correct dispatch center, and effectively dispatch resources to address the emergency.  
2. Notifications and Department Communications - Our second priority is to operate paging and communications systems that allow us to notify department employees of mission specific information on a 24/7/365 basis and to notify the public of specific emergencies and conditions.    
3. Non-Emergencies - Our third priority is to answer non-emergency calls and to route the calls for dispatch if appropriate.  
4. Reports - Our fourth priority is to take appropriate police reports via telephone or referral to the online reporting system.